How I Make My Children Love Reading

As mothers, we always dream that our children grow up to be intelligent kids. We do everything we can to develop them in that area and in future groom them to excel academically. That's why when it's time for proper schooling we hope to enroll them in the best schools around to ensure that they get quality education.

But the building blocks to nurturing our children's intelligence starts at home. To make our children love READING books and exposing them to this activity as early as you can, benefits not only them, but us as parents too. We teach our children that reading is fun, they learn a lot about the world and themselves, reading improves their discipline, concentration and their speech, and we create a great bonding time and build a strong relationship with our children which they will remember when they grow up.

Our children surprisingly knows how to navigate the gadgets we have at home like our mobile phones, tablets and laptops. That's why I feel that it's now more important to expose them to books and make reading a habit.

Making 9-Year Old Read
I have two sons who are seven years apart. My elder is already in 4th grade and my toddler is not yet in school. I was able to develop the love for reading to my elder son when he was much younger. I always set aside some budget for books. But things changed when he turned seven. This habit started to dwindle and he was more into play. So when he turned eight and I found out that he started having interests in comics, I found the opportunity to regain his love for reading. I started buying him K-Zones and since then, he has been collecting and making side trips to book stores or magazine stands whenever we're out in a mall. I also set up a neat study or reading corner in his room.

Buy reading materials of his interest but make sure it's also educational

You don't need to buy new issues all the time, back issues work perfectly the same plus it's practical, you get it at P50 - 70% off!

Make a reading and study corner that he could call his very own. At this time, they like having their own territories or taking responsibility and ownership of things.

Keep on encouraging your child to read.

Praise him for reading and learning.

Remind him the importance of reading and learning new things which will benefit him in the future.

Listen to his trivia and jokes whenever he would share something new which he learned from reading.

Don't forget to be amazed and LAUGH!

Making my 2-Year Old Read
I started reading to him when he was still in my tummy. When he turned two, he saw books as stuff he could destroy, tear and step on. So I bought hardbound books instead. But the books always had to compete with gadgets and his toys. With that, I found a way to make him interested in reading and even make him initiate the activity by doing what I did for my elder son. Since he loves truck and train toys, I bought him books that has trucks and trains. I chose books that teach about letters, numbers, colors, shapes and songs. My toddler even has his own bookshelf! My tips below:

A bookshelf for my toddler's books

I turned his love for truck toys to reading

A Tonka Truck book with drawing board - P120 0nly

Little Blue Truck hardbound book (his current favorite) P85.00

Arthur's Truck Adventure - P60.00

Sesame Street Book - P55.00

Sesame Street Counting Book - P45.00

One of my toddler's favorite books, The Wheels On Barney's Bus - P120

Set a time of the day when to start reading to him. Reading before bedtime works all the time. With this you are creating a habit

Don't insist reading on him when he is holding a tablet, a mobile phone or watching television. Your toddler will all the more resist the activity.

Be sensitive to his interests as well so you can get an idea to what types of books you'll buy for him. What toys does he like? Who are his favorite cartoon characters? Buy books that has them in it and for sure he'll drop everything for you to read to him.

Read with a very animated voice. Make the characters alive!

Praise your toddler always for doing a great job in reading.

Make a little reading corner or allot part of your bookshelves where he could put his books.

Make reading a fun activity

Where do I buy books?

As a practical mother, I do want to give my children the best all the time. Some think that to give the best, we have to shell out more moolah. For me, it takes resourcefulness and patience in finding the right materials for my kids and bookstores that sell nice books without the shocking price tag. I buy back issues of K-Zones for my 9-year old son at BOOKSALE Book Store. New issues are priced at P100.00 (which I also buy as a prize, when he does a good job at school or home chores) and back issues are half the price.

For my toddler, a nice hardbound children's book is priced between P200 to P500 if bought new. Instead of buying brand new books, I also buy my toddler's books at BOOKSALE. To find good books, you have to take some time to go over each books piled under their children's books section. Patience is really a virtue if you want to get quality 2nd hand books that still look like brand new. Books range from P5.00 to P120.00! Amazing isn't it?

How about you? Where do you buy books and how do you make your children read?

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12
comments

Same here Louise . My kids and I are fans of old issues of K Zone and BookSale trips. I remember we got an anniversary edition of Good Housekeeping (US edition) worth 10Php where Michelle Obama was the cover. There really are great finds and savings once you find the time to look for them.

Love this post, since I'm also starting to motivate my kids to read books, Bedtime is not working for me since I worked night shift on weekdays, I'll try before they have their afternoon nap, maybe it works! ( hopefully!).

These are great tips! Sana I was born in this era kasi the books for children are better lalo na ung pop-up! But I had my share of story books din (hard bound) and I'm glad too that like your kids, I too enjoy reading :)

Hello, I'm Louise

Welcome to my blog! I write about my practical life as a mother of two talented and handsome boys, as an ex-single mom and now a happily married woman to my long-time best friend and soulmate, as a full-time career woman in a demanding industry, and as a life adventurer! Welcome to Mommy Practicality!

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